WGU
Running head: Leadership and Professional Task 1
Leadership and Professional Image – C493
Task 1
Stephanie Osborne
Western Governors University
September 8, 2020
This study source was downloaded by 100000830772748 from CourseHero.com on 02-16-2022 03:04:49 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/69994285/WGU-C493-Task-1docx/
, Leadership and Professional Task 1
A. Develop a written proposal by doing the following:
1. Identify a problem or issue you seek to solve and explain why it is applicable to the
healthcare environment.
Moisture associated contact dermatitis (MACD) is an issue I would like to address and
help solve. MACD causes the patient to be uncomfortable and suffer. It is highly preventable if
the nursing staff is vigilant and it is also easily treated. On our unit, we often have a lot of
patients that cannot get out of bed to use the facilities to void or defecate. Often, these patients
are incontinent and do not realize it so they sit in their soiled brief for long periods of time. On a
good day, we are able to round every hour and check for incontinence but in reality this is
sometimes not possible as other emergent things are happening. So for patients that cannot feel
they have voided or defecated, they may sit there for prolonged periods of time and the brief is
holding this moisture on their skin, causing the skin to breakdown over time. There are of course
other factors that lead to poor skin integrity like nutrition status, hydration, and mobility. I want
to focus on using the correct products to prevent those bound to bed from developing MACD.
2. Discuss your investigation of the problem or issue.
I have worked at my hospital for four years now and I have seen incontinence associated
dermatitis (IAD) develop quickly on bedridden patients. Usually I have the same patient for three
days straight and I can see the skin breakdown that happens and it happens quickly. I have also
seen the skin begin to heal within a day or two by implementing these simple strategies and
being vigilant with incontinent care. Sadly, I have also seen people do well under my care only to
come back a day or two later and see their skin issues have worsened because lack of care. It is a
systems fault I believe as we often are short-handed with aids and nurses. We are given heavy
loads of patients and we simply cannot be everywhere at the same time. Nurses strive to do best
2
This study source was downloaded by 100000830772748 from CourseHero.com on 02-16-2022 03:04:49 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/69994285/WGU-C493-Task-1docx/
Running head: Leadership and Professional Task 1
Leadership and Professional Image – C493
Task 1
Stephanie Osborne
Western Governors University
September 8, 2020
This study source was downloaded by 100000830772748 from CourseHero.com on 02-16-2022 03:04:49 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/69994285/WGU-C493-Task-1docx/
, Leadership and Professional Task 1
A. Develop a written proposal by doing the following:
1. Identify a problem or issue you seek to solve and explain why it is applicable to the
healthcare environment.
Moisture associated contact dermatitis (MACD) is an issue I would like to address and
help solve. MACD causes the patient to be uncomfortable and suffer. It is highly preventable if
the nursing staff is vigilant and it is also easily treated. On our unit, we often have a lot of
patients that cannot get out of bed to use the facilities to void or defecate. Often, these patients
are incontinent and do not realize it so they sit in their soiled brief for long periods of time. On a
good day, we are able to round every hour and check for incontinence but in reality this is
sometimes not possible as other emergent things are happening. So for patients that cannot feel
they have voided or defecated, they may sit there for prolonged periods of time and the brief is
holding this moisture on their skin, causing the skin to breakdown over time. There are of course
other factors that lead to poor skin integrity like nutrition status, hydration, and mobility. I want
to focus on using the correct products to prevent those bound to bed from developing MACD.
2. Discuss your investigation of the problem or issue.
I have worked at my hospital for four years now and I have seen incontinence associated
dermatitis (IAD) develop quickly on bedridden patients. Usually I have the same patient for three
days straight and I can see the skin breakdown that happens and it happens quickly. I have also
seen the skin begin to heal within a day or two by implementing these simple strategies and
being vigilant with incontinent care. Sadly, I have also seen people do well under my care only to
come back a day or two later and see their skin issues have worsened because lack of care. It is a
systems fault I believe as we often are short-handed with aids and nurses. We are given heavy
loads of patients and we simply cannot be everywhere at the same time. Nurses strive to do best
2
This study source was downloaded by 100000830772748 from CourseHero.com on 02-16-2022 03:04:49 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/69994285/WGU-C493-Task-1docx/
